The ArT of Golf - Society of Hickory Golfers

WN Let’s begin with the GCS. Many
people know that your wife, Penny, and
her interest in Depression-era glass were
indirectly responsible for your meeting
with Warren Olsen at an antique show
about 1989. A conversation with Warren
got you going. What are your collecting
interests?
Bill My collecting interests can be
summed up using one word: eclectic –
long noses, smooth faces, deep grooves,
balls, tees, crystal, pottery, silver, trophies,
caddie badges, art, early maintenance
equipment, signs – and doesn’t everyone
own the leather horseshoe covers for a
team of horses?
WN What do you like about the GCS?
What are its strengths?
Bill What I like about the GCS is that
its membership is as diverse and eclectic
as the items that I collect.
The strength of the GCS is that it is the
largest and oldest antique golf collecting
society in the world and that is also
its main weakness. It has grown beyond
the size where volunteers can effectively
handle the ongoing daily operations without
such professional assistance as a paid
executive directorship position and the
need for a professional editor of the GCS
quarterly Bulletin. The GCS is fortunate
to have very qualified individuals in those
positions. The GCS is also fortunate
to have willing volunteers of time and
expertise to handle the duties of regional
directorship and the necessary committee
tasks due of any large group.
A wee nip and bit o’ talk with...
Bill Reed
A wee nip is often associated with a congenial conversation, perhaps at a 19th
hole, perhaps at one’s club or in the comfort of a den or library at home. Whatever
the place, we take pleasure in our companions. For members of the Society
of Hickory Golfers and similar associations, that leaves no dearth of sociable
company. Member Bill Reed occupies a rather unique position as he currently
serves as president of Golf Collectors Society, is the founder of the Hickory Golf
Association and is a member of the SoHG. He is proud of his association with this
triumverate of golfing historianna and was willing to share a few thoughts with
us in this issue. Bill, it must be said, is always willing to share a few thoughts. We
have his interview arranged in a familiar Q&A format. Prepare a glass of your
favorite beverage and enjoy a bit o’ talk witih Bill.
WN What are the current challenges
facing the organization?
Bill Maintaining the membership level
of any non-profit fraternal organization is
always of the utmost importance, especially
when the average age of the body
of membership is eligible for AARP, and
“natural causes” are a contributing factor
to the organization membership level.
WN As the current GCS president, you
bring years of collecting experience to the
job. What are your goals?
Bill My main goal as GCS President is
to demonstrate that being a “collector” and
being a “hickory player” are not opposing
positions. It’s high time that the various
“Societies” not only share the occasional
pint, but share the peace as well. That’s
why I am a member of the GCS, the HGA,
and the SoHG and actively promote them
all. I am not the first to make this suggestion
but, perhaps in the future, the GCS
and the SoHG could be the respective
collecting and playing branches of one
combined membership. There are worse
ideas out there.
WN You are also the founder of the
HGA and currently serve as its executive
director.
Bill I am in a unique position of not
only being the president of the GCS, but a
member and occasional tournament director
for the SoHG (The Heart of America
Hickory Championship) and a founding
member and executive director of
the Hickory Golf Association (The Iowa
Hickory Classic).
WN What year did it organize?
Bill The HGA was officially formed
in 2007 as a 501-c(4) and its mission is
to preserve and further the history and
equipment of the game of golf as it was
played in the hickory era. The HGA is the
smallest of the three societies and is truly
regional (Midwest) in its membership,
although the HGA has members spread all
over the USA as well as internationally.
WN You are also a member of the
SoHG. On the surface, it would seem that
the HGA and the SoHG have competing
interests.
Bill When I and fellow founders
Clayton Copple, Russ Fisher, and John
Ausen formed the HGA there were some
individuals in the GCS and the SoHG
that perceived a threat to their respective
groups. No threat was intended nor has
one developed. The HGA is continually
adding to its inventory of playable sets
of hickory clubs used in competitions
that benefit numerous charities and junior
golf scholarship programs. Donations
society of hickory golfers 4
spring 2012
to the Iowa State University Agronomy
programs and donations to the Iowa Turf
Grass Institute and support of the Golf
Course Superintendents Association is
considered vital to the health and future
of the game of golf. The HGA averages
six to eight charitable events per calendar
year. As a matter of fact, although the
HGA is years younger than the SoHG, the
HGA held approximately a dozen hickory
events before the SoHG held its first ever
U.S. Hickory Open. Question: did the
formation of the HGA spur the SoHG into
positive action?....nah...but that could stir
the proverbial pot a little bit!!!
WN Do the two organizations enjoy a
friendly coexistence in promoting hickory
golf?
Bill I truly believe that the SoHG provides
the ultimate tournament experience
for the existing modern hickory player.
The Championship Series of hickory golf
has grown from four major hickory events
in 2011 to six events scheduled for 2012.
The key to the success of this series is in
its name – Championship. There are no
scrambles in these events. This is not to
discriminate against the social and recreational
value of hickory play in a scramble
format, but to conduct exactly what the
series is named. I personally believe
that the scramble format is an excellent
way to introduce the beginning hickory
player to the game. I also know that there
exist many hickory players who prefer
Welcome, new
SoHG members!
There have been 61 new members
since this past fall. Welcome one and
all! (If your name was overlooked,
please let us know and we’ll correct
the oversight in the next newsletter.)
Isao Abe, Tokyo, Japan
Ben Benoit, Nashville, Tenn.
Geoff Bleasby, Emsworth Hampshire, U.K.
Joseph Bodnar, Dearborn, Mich.
Michael Border, Birmingham, Ala.
Pete Boylan, Alpharetta, Ga.
Hugh Cameron, Corunna, Ont., Canada
Wes Channell, Sun City West, Ariz.
spring 2012
the social aspect of hickory play rather
than individual medal play. The HGA,
the GCS and other hickory state and club
associations fulfill that segment of play
through many regional and local events
and competitions. Here’s the good news:
hardly a week goes by without some type
of hickory gathering somewhere in the
country. It’s now hard to schedule a new
event without the so-called stepping on
toes of some other venue.
WN How does the GCS view the activities
of the SoHG and the HGA?
Bill I have been asked from my GCS
perspective how the GCS views the HGA
and the SoHG. There exist GCS members
who are collectors only. There exist
GCS members who are players only. My
personal viewpoint is that the GCS was
a little slow in promoting hickory play
as a way to attract new members. I was a
hickory player first and foremost. Collecting
was a natural progression of my
thirst for more knowledge of the history
of the game. That is also the case for most
of the hundreds of players whom I have
introduced to the hickory game. The GCS
is now actively promoting hickory play
through its regional directors, many of
whom are SoHG members as well.
WN Do you ever foresee a day when
the two groups may combine efforts, join
under one name?
Bill Yes, I can envision one large
Bertt Coghill, Orland Park, Ill.
Ron Cook, Whiting, Kan.
David Farrar, Richmond, Va.
Glen Fast, Kingston, Ont., Canada
Wes Feudner, Warner Robins, Ga.
Russell Fisher, Des Moines, Iowa
Donald Ghareeb, Birmingham, Ala.
Elizabeth Ghareeb, Birmingham, Ala.
Rob Gilbert, Lynchburg, Va.
Norm Groleau, Windsor, Ont., Canada
Dale Hallock, Omaha, Neb.
Bill Haney, Louisville, Ky.
William Harkins, Morganton, N.C.
Mary Harkins, Morganton, N.C.
Sumner Hopkins, Williamsburg, Va.
Deal Hudson, Fairfax, Va.
James Jeselnick, Chesterton, Ind.
Patrick Just, Louisville, Ky.
5
Rudy Kastelic, La Mesa, Calif.
Bill Keeler, Oregon City, Ore.
Dale Kelsey, Flagler Beach, Fla.
Phil Kostolnik, Shoreview, Minn.
Patrick Lamar, Huntsville, Ala.
Ted Lloyd, Ridgeland, Miss.
Ted Marron, Foxbury, Pa.
Tom McGee, Littleton, Colo.
Andrew McKay, Louisville, Ky.
Rob McKnight, Kingston, Ont., Canada
Edward J. Miller, Glen Cove, N.Y.
Tim Morrison, Birmingham, Ala.
Timothy Morrison, Birmingham, Ala.
Michael Myrick, El Paso, Texas
Steve Oates, Marquette, Mich.
Terry Pemberton, Keswick, Va.
Marjorie Perlman, Birmingham, Ala.
Michael Petty, Birmingham, Ala.
United States Antique Golf Society that
has two divisions: one division for collectors
and another for the hickory player.
That’s a much more interesting topic of
discussion than whether an original 1946
Otey Crisman putter should be banned
from play. Let’s sit down over a pint and
see what other burning issues we can dim.
Bill Reed lives with Penny, his wife of
49 years, in Des Moines, Iowa. They have
three grown daughters and six grandchildren.
He is the owner of William Reed &
Associates, a sales firm with an emphasis
in business development. He is constantly
reconditioning hickory woods and irons,
for himself as well as others, and takes
each newly reconditioned set out for play.
He says he’s always playing with “new”
clubs. He plays 90 to 100 rounds per
year. Bill’s steel handicap index is 14.2
although he has only used modern equipment
three times in the past six years. His
current hickory handicap index is 18.5.
“My favorite golf course is the one that
I’m playing today. My next favorite is the
one that I’m playing tomorrow,” he says.
What’s in his bag is an eclectic assortment
of originals ranging from a smooth face
Dynamiter niblick to a no-namer brassie
c. 1900 that he has used for more than 20
years. His current putter is a Schenectady.
“I will not change putters unless I three
putt. I have a lot of putters. They are
always at the ready,” he says.
Joey Pierson, Birmingham, Ala.
MacArther Plumart, Berkeley Lake, Ga.
Mike Policano, Paramus, N.J.
Randall Renaud, N. Little Rock, Ark.
Todd Riker, Muskegon, Mich.
Rick Robertson, Williamston, S.C.
Michael Rothaupt, Westchester, Pa.
Lloyd Slinglend, Trenton, Mich.
Michael Sloan, Houston, Texas
Tony Smarrelli, Pinehurst, N.C.
Steven Staires, Lafayette, La.
James Thomas, Loveland, Ohio
Dick Verinder, Washington, Texas
Howard Vogel, Traverse City, Mich.
Richard Walden, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
Nick Waterfield, Kingston, Ont., Canada
Robert Wolfensperger, Modesto, Calif.
www.hickorygolfers.com